Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh walks to the locker room after surveying the field before kickoff at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 30, 2021.
The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday afternoon that the No. 2 ranked team in the country, The University of Michigan, is currently under investigation for sign-stealing.
Michigan and the Conference were notified of the investigation by the NCAA on Wednesday. Their future opponents have also been notified of the investigation, including Michigan State University.
Reports from Yahoo Sports claim Michigan sent people to future opponents and potential College Football Playoff opponents' games with the intention of collecting information on their opponents' signal calling for both offensive and defensive play calls.
Interim President of Michigan State University Teresa K. Woodruff released a statement on the matter at 3:47 p.m.
"As we look forward to the football game this Saturday, we are chagrined by the news of the NCAA investigation, and we echo the Big Ten Conference's commitment to integrity," Woodruff said in the statement. "The allegations are concerning but will be handled through the NCAA's processes. MSU has no further comment on that matter. The university is focused on supporting our own team and preparing campus for a safe game-day environment."
If the allegations prove true, The University of Michigan will have violated the NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which reads, "Off-campus, in-person scouring of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited."
The Big Ten Conference also put out a statement Thursday. In the statement, the Big Ten acknowledged the investigation, emphasizing the importance of integrity to competition.
Following the investigation becoming public, Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has since released a statement. Insisting full cooperation from both him and his staff during this investigation. Harbaugh continued, denying any knowledge of, "the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals." Claiming he has no awareness, "of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action."
Harbaugh finished his statement by reprimanding the act of breaking the NCAA rules.
"No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules," Harbaugh said in his statement.
These allegations could add to the list of violations the University of Michigan is already facing. Jim Harbaugh has already served a three-game suspension from the school following violations that saw him meet with recruits during a COVID dead period, watch player workouts on Zoom and use too many coaches in practices.
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